editorial references

references that editors and writers just gotta have
Whether you’re a working scientific editor or web content copywriter, we recommend that you have the following basic reference materials on your desk. (Or on your desktop; many of these are available online.)
1. The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition (online at www.chicagomanualofstyle.org). Not all companies follow Chicago, but many do, and many others use it as a backup. All working editors should have a basic familiarity with this guide. In addition, its extensive section on grammar can be used as … well … a grammar, meaning you needn’t purchase an additional reference.
2. Garner’s Modern American Usage, 2nd edition. This definitive, highly readable guide addresses nearly any possible question of usage you could think of (i.e., affect vs. effect; lie vs. lay; that vs. which). It also contains mini-essays on topics such as casualisms, subject-verb agreement, and “superstitions” of grammar. Absolutely essential.
3. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition (online at m-w.com). If your company uses another dictionary, that’s perfectly fine. We’ve found this to be the most widely used among our various clients.
4. A specialty style guide. Depending on your field, you may be required to master a specialty style guide. Commonly used references include:
- Government: GPO Style Manual, 29th Edition (available only online)
- Humanities: MLA Style Manual, 3rd Edition
- Journalism and public relations: The Associate Press Stylebook 2008
- Law: The Bluebook, 18th Edition (plus, we have to put in a plug for Bryan Garner’s writings on legal style)
- Medicine and healthcare: AMA Manual of Style, 10th Edition
- Social and behavioral sciences: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition

“I’ve worked with the staff at Dragonfly for years, and I trust their editing completely. We’ve used them on federal proposals, commercial proposals, IT documentation, marketing collateral … you name it. They are especially helpful on large projects, when we need a team of editors to get a lot done in a short timeframe. They also have great writers who can handle everything from white papers to case studies. Dragonfly is our editorial dream team!".
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